


I Will Be Your Sword and Shield

by Nirukee



Category: League of Legends RPF
Genre: Ghosts, League of Legends lore, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:33:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28300920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nirukee/pseuds/Nirukee
Summary: Orome is from Demacia, ZaZee is from Noxus. They fall in love at the wrong moment.
Relationships: Andrei "Orome" Popa & Marek "Humanoid" Brázda, Dirk "ZaZee" Mallner/Andrei "Orome" Popa
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2
Collections: DreamServer Secret Santa





	1. Trevale

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TwoSidesOfTheWesternArrow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwoSidesOfTheWesternArrow/gifts).



> Hey there! I was TwoSidesOfTheWesternArrow's Secret Santa, here's the fic that I wrote all for her. I hope you'll like it!

Trevale’s residents watched carriages pass by the main road of the city with curiosity. It was unusual to see Demacian knights come here: Trevale was only a little city close to the sea. But it was located near the frontier between Demacia and Noxus, which made it quite ideal for the event of the day. 

On this day, soldiers from Demacia and Noxus would train together, share techniques and knowledge. A Demacian captain named Mac recently came up with this idea, concerned about magic resistance. Its region was known to be against magic, but the captain realized that this rejection had its flaws: avoiding magic at all costs didn’t help them to face it. So he thought they could learn from Noxus’ military knowledge, and in return, they could teach them about their specialties. 

The four carriages stopped in front of Trevale’s military center. It was a beautiful building in light red stones, with arches on each of the three floors. The Demacian soldiers were welcomed in the courtyard by the Noxians. They were twenty of each region, all wearing elegant knight uniforms - in silver and blue for Demacia, in black and ruby for Noxus. As they were standing ceremoniously, the two captains greeted each other warmly. Among the crowd, two Demacian friends glanced at each other with a smile: Orome and Shad0w. They were quite excited about this change in their usual training. 

The captains gave a little speech to tell it was an honor to meet to exchange knowledge, before explaining the schedule of the day. 

First, Captain Mac started to teach both groups of knights.  
“Some tend to think Demacia’s strength is its forge, and that we’re nothing without our armors, swords and shields. Today, I’ll show you it’s not true. Everyone, take a training stick.”  
The apprentices obeyed, and Mac took one stick as well. He showed different movements for defense, attack, and counterattack. He made the knights repeat those movements multiple times, correcting them as he was passing in the rows. Then, he asked them to train in groups of two, with one Demacian and one Noxian in each duo. 

Orome turned to the nearest Noxian apprentice. It was a young man with short nut-brown hair, with ice-blue eyes, slightly smaller than Orome in height.  
“Hi,” smiled the Demacian. “Do you want to partner up with me?”  
The Noxian nodded, without giving a smile back.  
“Great.” said Orome, but his partner still didn’t say anything.  
They stood side by side, waiting for Captain Mac to give the instructions. Orome felt slightly awkward.  
“I’m Orome. What’s your name?” he asked.  
“I’m Dirk.”  
“Nice to meet you.”  
His partner nodded once more. Orome glanced at Shad0w. He was chatting with a tall blonde man. His partner was visibly more talkative than his. 

Mac gave the instructions. The first game was to make their partner fall with only one stick push. Orome and Dirk faced each other.  
“Ready?” asked the Demacian.  
Dirk nodded, and this time, his partner thought he saw the hint of a smile in the corner of his lips. They stared at each other, trying to anticipate their next move. In a flash, Dirk firmly pushed Orome on the internal side of his left leg, which made him lose his balance and fall instantly. The Demacian’s blue eyes widened. He was amazed by his partner’s precision. He stood up with a smile.  
“Well done.” he said, all the more motivated about the exercise.  
They kept training, trying different points of the body to see which ones were the most efficient. They both managed to make the other stumble or fall several times. Even though it was a Demacian training, Dirk seemed to handle the exercise better. Orome looked at him with interest. He was certainly not talkative, but he seemed very observant and smart. At some point, Orome also sensed something… threatening in his ice-blue eyes. The Demacian was intrigued about him. 

They made other games with Captain Mac, and then it was Captain Jesiz’ turn to teach about Noxus techniques.  
“Do you want to partner with someone else?” asked Orome.  
“No.” replied Dirk with a little smile.  
Orome smiled too. He was glad to see his partner was having fun with him, as much as he did. 

The day went by with various types of training. Orome and Dirk stayed together as much as they could. Shad0w and Marek, his first partner of the day, joined them for some games. 

As dusk was falling, five Noxus apprentices were called by Captain Jesiz, including Dirk and Marek. They stood in line, while other Noxians were lighting torches behind them. The captain held a sword in his palms oriented towards the sky. He stopped in front of Dirk.  
“Dirk Mallner, son of Trevale, you showed great worth during your training years. I am now knighting you. I invite you to take this sword, which is yours from this day on. Then, tell your knighting vows.”  
Orome was surprised. He would have never guessed Dirk was not a knight yet. Beside him, Sha0w commented on Marek, surprised that he was not a knight either. But Orome’s gaze couldn’t leave Dirk. He watched him take his sword, kneel before reciting his vows:  
“By this sword, I vow to protect Noxus, its lands, its children, and its allies. I shall find strength in the darkest times to guide the way until the sun rises. I will trust my brothers with my life and hold them when they fall. I shall respect and represent Noxus’ laws across Runeterra. I will conquer my fears and prove my worth as a Noxian knight.”  
Orome loved to hear his partner’s voice loud and clear.  
“Very well. What do you choose as your knight name?” Captain Jesiz asked.  
“ZaZee.”  
When Orome heard his knight name, he repeated it in his head, amazed by its sound. _ZaZee. What a beautiful name._


	2. Needlebrook

Several months had passed since the first shared training in Trevale. The second training took place in Needlebrook, which was Orome and Shad0w’s city. The third one took place in Trevale again. ZaZee and Orome had kept training together, opening more and more to each other. They shared laughs, questionings about techniques and strategies, they kept telling each other things they should improve on, and kept saying words of encouragement. 

As usual, the training session ended on a feast shared by Demacians and Noxians. The atmosphere was light-hearted, but ZaZee and Orome were feeling a little bit sad. They didn’t know when there would be another shared training, or even if there would be another one. In other words, they didn’t know when they would meet again. The Demacian looked at his friend, hesitantly.   
“We could write, if you want.” he suggested. “We have bird messengers in Needlebrook.”  
ZaZee was not looking at Orome, but he nodded with a smile.   
“I’d love that.”  
Orome was happy about this new friendship. ZaZee was unlike anyone he knew, and the Demacian knight kept learning new things by his side. He kept being fascinated by him. 

The first time Orome received a letter from his Noxian friend, he felt a wave of happiness overwhelm him even before reading it. He felt light, eager to read the words of a person who still felt very secret to him. He went to his room, opened the envelope, cutting the Noxian seal, revealing two pages, entirely covered. He read them, treasuring ZaZee’s handwriting, treasuring every single word from his friend. After he finished reading it, he looked at the window with a sigh. The wave of happiness had grown bigger. After a minute, he realized that his feelings might be too intense. He started to understand his fascination had turned into something else. 

It was the beginning of a long series of letters. The two friends were talking about everything. Orome was always replying carefully to each subject ZaZee wrote about, and the Noxian was doing the same. The length of the letter increased, becoming a mess only they could understand. 

One day, Orome was in his room, playing luth. Both in Needlebrook and Trevale, the knights lived in the military center. Orome liked the life there, he felt like it was where he belonged. He was not meeting with many people, except from the other knights and his family. So on this day, he certainly didn’t expect a new face to appear at his door.   
“Hi!” said ZaZee, staying in the door frame with a shy smile.   
“Hi!” greeted his friend back. “What are you doing here? Come in!”  
The Noxian entered the room, closing the large wooden door behind him. The two friends were standing, facing each other. ZaZee dived a hand in his bag and pulled a little object, wrapped in red leaves, with a wool string forming a bow.   
“So um… it’s your birthday, right?” he asked.   
Orome nodded, and his friend handed him the gift. The Demacian pulled the string and unfolded the wrapping. He discovered a necklace with a wooden pendant. A lion head was sculpted on it.   
“It’s very beautiful, thank you.” said Orome.   
He turned the pendant and saw the following inscription, sculpted on the back: _Fondly yours, D.Z.M._  
Orome’s heart skipped a beat.   
“You made this?”   
The answer was obvious but the emotion was overwhelming the Demacian, he couldn’t think of anything smarter to say. As he got closer to thank his friend with a hug, he was suddenly very attracted by his lips instead. ZaZee and Orome kissed just once. Their lips met for a second and the two men parted to take a breath. They scanned each other’s eyes, silently asking if they felt the same. They stopped time as they rejoined in a succession of kisses, less and less hesitant. They could feel it, it was meant to be.


	3. In Between

The knights had a day off every Sunday. When Orome and ZaZee admitted their feelings for each other, they started to spend every Sunday together. Trevale was only a two hours ride from Needlebrook. Sometimes, they spent the day in Dirk’s room, or Andrei’s room. Sometimes, they met in a public place, either a tavern or a plaza. Other times, they met halfway between their two cities. As it was not enough, they were writing letters everyday. 

Once, it was a Saturday, early in the night. Orome was getting his horse ready, to meet ZaZee, to enjoy more time together and spend the night in his arms. Shad0w crossed his path.  
“Hey!” his friend greeted, before frowning. “Where are you going at this time of the day?”  
“I’m going to Trevale.”  
“Again? You practically live there lately. Do you have a girlfriend there, or something?”  
“No, it’s just uh… I have a cousin there.”  
Orome was embarrassed at the inconsistency of his alibi. He didn’t feel quite ready to tell the truth to his friend. But Shad0w smiled, understanding.   
“Oh I see, it’s always nice to bond with cousins. I haven’t seen mine in such a long time, I should visit them tomorrow too!” Shad0w paused. “I won’t hold you any longer. Enjoy your Sunday, my friend.”

Orome had mixed feelings about the ride to Trevale. He was always very happy to take this path, as he knew who waited for him at the end of it. But at the same time, time was passing way too slowly. He wished he could teleport to meet his love sooner. He smiled at this thought. It was the first time he found an appeal in magic. 

Needlebrook’s lights finally appeared in his sight. Orome left his horse at the stable in the city’s entrance. He walked for a few minutes, before seeing the suspended tavern sign he was looking for. He lowered his gaze and his eyes immediately caught the face of the man he loved, despite the crowd. ZaZee didn’t see him. He was waiting in front of the tavern, daydreaming, a sweet smile on his lips. Orome felt like time slowed down. People around him were walking in slow motion, but his heart was racing in his chest. The warmth inside him made him hope that he was the reason for ZaZee’s smile.   
He walked towards the other knight.   
“Hey!” he greeted.   
Dirk turned to him with sparkling eyes. Of course he was the reason for that smile. Andrei forgot to breathe.   
“Hey.” replied the Noxian.   
There was so much more they wanted to say to each other, more touch they wanted to feel. But it was not the right place. They entered the tavern together. As they did, their fingers met in a brief caress, a secret in the dim light of the room. They walked to a small, empty table. The innkeeper came to take their order. They both chose hot chocolates, which were served in large wooden tankards. Then, the bards came back from their break, and started to play lively songs. ZaZee looked at the bards with joy, visibly enjoying the music. Everything felt perfect in this moment. The two lovers never felt as happy. Andrei took Dirk’s hand and pressed his lips on the back of it, in a tender kiss. Then, he smiled and asked curiously:  
“Can I see you without your glasses?”  
ZaZee blushed.   
“I-I don’t feel comfortable without them.”  
Being a blind knight was quite a disadvantage.   
“Oh okay, don’t worry.”  
They kept holding hands. In the liveliness of the tavern, no one was looking at them. 

Late in the night, they walked to Trevale’s military center. They crossed a few other night owls before they joined ZaZee’s room. Orome felt at home, here. He came multiple times, but it was the first time he would sleep here. He sat on the bed, lit a candle, and when he looked up, Dirk was taking his glasses off. Andrei was enchanted to be able to fully see his beautiful eyes, his beautiful face. As for Dirk, he couldn’t see much, apart from blurry shapes and colors. The Demacian didn’t say anything at first. His silence made the Noxian feel insecure. But it was only a matter of seconds before Orome stood up, to take his love’s naked face in his hands, to kiss him passionately. Yes, ZaZee was feeling vulnerable, but he was feeling safe with him. 

The couple laid in the bed, chatting in whispers for an hour more. Orome fell asleep first, cuddled in ZaZee’s arms. When the Noxian realized it, he had a peaceful sigh. He kissed his boyfriend’s neck, and closed his eyes as well.


	4. The Broken Bridge

Orome and Shad0w finished their working day with Strategy Class. They were teaching the new Demacian apprentices. They left the military center together, heading for the forge to do some shopping. They were having a lively chat, when they crossed Needlebrook’s main plaza. A herald came in the plaza, riding a horse. He had the emblem of the Demacian Capital on his clothes. The two knights frowned at this sight. If a herald came all the way from the Great City of Demacia, it had to be pretty serious. The herald blew in a foghorn, calling people to gather. Shad0w and Orome stopped walking. They would have to wait for the shopping session. 

“Your attention please, ladies and gentlemen. I come in the name of our king, Jarvan IV the Great, to tell you utmost important news.”  
A worried chat crossed the crowd. The herald unfolded a parchment and started to read:  
“Considering the historical events, how Noxus always seeked more territory through violence.   
Considering the recent events, when a Noxian army attacked a defenseless village in Demacia.   
Considering the recent attack towards a Freljordian camp.   
Considering Noxus’ refusal to make amends both towards Demacia and Freljord.   
The war between Demacia and Noxus is declared.  
To that extent, Demacians are no longer allowed to leave the region.  
Military centers will provide Defense Classes to every Demacian.”  
The herald kept telling guidelines but Orome couldn’t listen anymore. He heard all the reasons which led to a war. Noxus trespassed its rights and Demacia would fight for justice. But he couldn’t help the anger rising inside him. This isn’t fair. This thought circled in his head. He couldn’t stand the idea of living away from his other half for gods know how long. He couldn’t support a war for justice for the greater number when it broke its own unity. 

He decided to wait for the night and leave to meet ZaZee. He needed to discuss it with him. 

…….

Orome left Needlebrook on his horse, wearing a cape. As soon as he was in the forest and no one could hear him anymore, he asked his horse to run as fast as possible. The sweet memory of his previous trips hit him bitterly. As he arrived near the frontier, he left his horse in a quiet spot, and joined Trevale by walking. He did his best to sneak as discreetly as possible. The knight successfully joined the military center without anyone questioning him. He couldn’t wait more, but he managed to step at a normal pace until his boyfriend’s door. He sighed and knocked. When Dirk opened the door, Andrei’s heart broke. He could tell ZaZee had been crying. The ice-blue eyes widened when he saw the face he wanted to see.   
“Andrei?”  
The Demacian entered the room and the Noxian locked the door. They hugged tight, Dirk nestling his head on his boyfriend’s chest. After long minutes, ZaZee lifted his head and took Orome’s face in his hands, staring at his gorgeous gaze.   
“What can we do? Do you… Do you want to hide here?” he asked.  
“I wish I could... but if I get caught by Noxians, or even by Demacians, I will end up in prison for an undefined time. This is too dangerous for both of us.”  
Dirk looked away.   
“I guess we can’t write either. They won’t let any bird messenger cross the frontier.” he said.   
A silence took over. Tears formed in ZaZee’s eyes again.   
“I thought about something, but it’s a bit stupid.” said Orome. “I thought that, if we meet on the battlefield, we should pretend to fight each other, while walking off the battlefield, so that we can run away together.”  
His boyfriend chuckled in his tears. The idea of them fake fighting and sidestepping was quite comical. Andrei held Dirk closer.   
“Whatever happens, we will meet again, I promise you. And when this is all over, we’ll leave those cursed regions to find a nice place where we will live peacefully. Forever.”  
“Promised.” agreed Dirk.   
Their embrace was tighter than ever. They stayed like this for hours, enjoying every second they had left. But the sky was already getting brighter, Orome had to come back to Needlebrook before the sun rose. They exchanged one last desperately loving kiss, and the Demacian left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title comes from this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6GMVUrVLNc
> 
> _Meet me on the battlefield  
>  Even on the darkest nights  
> I will be your sword and shield  
> Your camouflage  
> And you will be mine_


	5. No Return

The first weeks of complete separation were painful for Orome. He was trying to keep his mind occupied with training and by hanging out with his friends more than usual. But he was having a hard time sleeping. After a few days, he started to write letters to Dirk again. Even if he couldn’t send them, it was soothing. He hoped he could give them to the Noxian in a future not too distant. Another thing which was soothing for the Demacian was his necklace. He felt like a part of ZaZee was always with him. He regretted not to have given him a gift as well, something he could have needed now. 

After a month, Orome had gotten used to the situation and felt better. Missing Dirk made him feel more courageous. He was ready to face any battle. But the battle he would face was not the one he was expecting. 

He was sharpening one of his favourite swords when Shad0w bursted in his room, out of breath, worry written on his face.   
“Did you hear the news? Something happened in Noxus.”   
He caught his breath before saying:  
“There was a Black Mist attack in several cities. I think your cousin’s city was one of them.”   
The infamous Black Mist. That phenomenon happened every year and could strike any place. A black fog engulfed a city and the souls of their inhabitants were taken away. Orome’s head started to spin.   
“… Trevale?” he asked with a weak voice.   
Shad0w nodded, compassionate. His friend rushed outside to join the stable. 

Once more, Orome went to Trevale as fast as he could. This time, it was not hard to sneak into the city, despite his Demacian clothing. Trevale was broken. The Black Mist was gone, but some buildings were now in ruins. The city was much less crowded than usual and people were crying in the streets. Apprehension was rising inside the Demacian knight. He ran towards the military center. When he reached ZaZee’s room, the door was open. He came in. The curtains and the bed sheets were torn. A stool had been knocked down. Something shiny on the floor caught Orome’s eye. He bent to take it in his hand. It looked like a black claw. The door squealed. The Demacian turned his head. Marek – Humanoid by his knight name – was here. Andrei stood up.  
“Where is he?” he asked.   
Humanoid shook his head, confirming Orome’s doubts. The Demacian felt a pain in his chest. _He has been taken._ He walked to the window, shaking. He tried to breathe deeply but a sob came out instead. He leaned on the wall, letting the tears come out, hopelessly. Humanoid looked at him with compassion. He knew what kind of relationship ZaZee and Orome had. He stayed there, not trying to do or say anything comforting. He was feeling sorrowful as well, he just knew that all he could do was to stay here, supporting the Demacian by his presence. Orome took his pendant in his hand, caressing the inscription in the back with his thumb. The memories he had with ZaZee were streaming in his head. He remembered their first meeting. Dirk’s words during his knighting ceremony. _I shall find strength in the darkest times to guide the way until the sun rises._  
Andrei suddenly had a realization. _Don't act like he's dead. He’s not. His soul is still out there,_ he thought.   
Humanoid could clearly see the shift in his expression. Orome lifted his head, looked at him and said, with determination:  
“I’m going to free his soul.”   
Humanoid was astonished.   
“You know you may never come back?” he asked.   
“Justice must be done.”  
Orome felt how he was now half-Demacian, half-Noxian. ZaZee taught him a sense of strength, and it was a perfect combination with his own sense of justice. Before leaving the room, he placed a hand on Marek’s shoulder.  
“Thank you. ZaZee always told me about you as a precious and supportive friend. I’ll make sure you meet again.”  
Once more, the Noxian said nothing. But this time, it was because he was simply wordless. Orome had a slight smile and left. 

As he was approaching the city’s entrance, he heard someone run behind him.   
“Orome, wait!”  
He turned around and met Humanoid. The Noxian caught his breath and said:  
“I’ll come with you. There is someone I want to bring justice to, as well.”  
His tone was determined, but his eyes were telling his doubts and how he knew he was doing something crazy.   
“Alright. I have a few things to settle in Needlebrook before I leave. So, let’s meet at Trevale’s forest at midnight.”  
Humanoid nodded. 

When Orome came back in his city, Shad0w was waiting for him in the military center’s courtyard.   
“How are you?” he asked.   
“I’m not… great,” started Orome. “Come with me, I have to talk to you in private.”

They went to his room.   
“First, you were right. There was someone special for me in Trevale.” admitted Andrei. “It was ZaZee.”  
Shad0w’s look was even more concerned about the attack and how it affected his friend.   
“Second, he…” Orome struggled to let the words come out. “He was taken by the Black Mist. But third, I’m going to Shadow Isles to save him.”  
Zhiqiang’s mouth opened. That was a lot to take at once.   
“Orome, that’s madness! You can’t!”  
Andrei stared at him, moved. He was happy to have him as a friend. He hugged him.   
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. ZaZee means the world to me. I don’t think I can go on with my life if I don’t try to save him. I need to try.”  
He parted from the embrace.   
“In the meantime, please take care of my apprentices for me. I know you’ll be a great teacher for them.”  
Shad0w sighed.  
“Is there anything I can do to stop you?” he asked.  
Orome nodded a ‘no’ with a sad smile. Shad0w hugged him again, thinking it was probably the last time he was seeing his friend.   
“Goodbye, Zhiqiang. It was an honor to be with you.”


	6. Stonewall

Orome and Humanoid met at midnight, at Trevale’s forest entrance.  
“Are you ready?” the Demacian asked.  
“Yes.” replied the Noxian.  
They let their horses meet, rubbing their faces against each other.  
“Zoe, meet Renekton.” said Humanoid to his own horse, gently.

The two knights started to ride in the dark forest. Orome was relieved to go at a fast pace because the dark, tall trees around them had nothing reassuring, and the silence of the night didn’t make it any better. Humanoid was more familiar with this place than Orome since he crossed it countless times. But still, he didn’t feel comfortable either. Something didn’t feel right. The two knights didn’t share those thoughts. They had to be strong for the beginning of this journey and prove they could trust each other.   
Above the sound of the horses running, Orome thought he heard something behind them. He glanced above his shoulder but he didn’t see anything.   
The way through the forest passed by slowly. The Demacian felt slightly better since nothing happened. But was it just him or Renekton kept turning his ears in different directions?

Arriving near the end of the forest, they slowed down. Trevale’s port was near. It was getting easier for them to see. They thought it was because of the port’s lights, but they realized a light green glow was radiating. They stayed behind the trees and hopped down their horses discreetly. They froze as they saw Trevale’s port was also in ruins. The Black Mist agents were still there. Ghosts were floating from one end to the other. They all looked similar, with greenish, steamy bodies, black eyes, black hair, black outfits, black weapons. Only a few humans were there, silent and terrified. A female ghost floated towards one of them, a lantern in her hand. She opened the lantern’s door with one hand, and pointed her other hand towards the human. It started to change him into a steamy body too. Once he was only a cloud, the ghost played with it, moving the smoke up and down. Finally, she placed the human soul in the lantern.

That was a very impressive sight for the two knights. They felt helpless. They had no way to save the humans there. Orome’s heart tightened. _What if ZaZee is in that lantern?_ he thought. An impulse was telling him to go ahead and break all the lanterns in sight to try to free his boyfriend. But two things kept him from doing that. First, his body was sending him warnings. He was shaking and he could imagine being swallowed in a lantern as well. The second thing was his reason. A glance at Humanoid reminded him they should proceed step by step. They had no chance against a Black Mist army. Going to Shadow Isles would, in theory, give them more chances of negotiation. In a nod, the two knights went back into the forest to discuss.

Zoe and Renekton were still acting nervous. Orome had another glance around them. Nothing.  
“We can’t take the boat here. What are our options?” he asked, calmly.  
“We can’t go to Needlebrooke’s port because of the war. The next nearest port is Stonewall’s. But it’s a two days ride.” replied the Noxian.  
“Yes. That’s not many options…”  
The Demacian thought he heard a distant, elusive voice. Like a woman singing a song. He ignored it. He had to keep a straight face, to show his partner that he was trustable and strong enough to support him.  
“Let’s not waste any time and go to Stonewall already.”  
Humanoid nodded. When he climbed on Zoe’s back, she let a loud whine out. The knight patted her, talked to her, but it took a few minutes to calm her down.

The two knights started to ride at a fast pace again. They crossed the forest, facing East this time. The lack of sleep made Orome see the shadows of the trees in a distorted way. He thought things would feel better once out of the forest. But the vast, empty plains made him feel exposed. His knight training prepared him for fierce battles. He wasn’t prepared to fight invisible enemies.  
“Do you want to stop for just a moment?” Humanoid asked.  
“No, it’s okay.” replied Orome.  
He wanted to get away from here as fast as they could. He wanted to find ZaZee as fast as possible.

Finally, the sun rose. The embrace of its rays lighted the Demacian’s heart up. He didn’t expect to struggle as much during the first night. 

“Look, it’s Glorft!” exclaimed Humanoid.  
From his excitement, Orome understood that his companion had been as scared as him during the night. The sight of a familiar place visibly warmed him more than usual.  
“It’s a safe place. I think we can rest here.”  
“Alright.”  
They left their horses in the stable and entered the city. Humanoid led them to a tavern he knew well. They started to eat a Noxian dish. But they drew attention to them because of their outfits. They definitely looked like knights, and it was weird to see the two of them in a tavern in the middle of the day, instead of being with the rest of the army in a time of war. Disapproving gazes were on them. Everything got worse when the innkeeper noticed Orome’s sword was a Demacian weapon.  
“Get out of here!” he shouted.  
Orome and Humanoid were forced to leave the inn. But it didn’t stop here. The villagers started to throw stones at them. They were two deserters, with one of them from the enemy region. The two knights struggled, but their abilities were complementary. They escaped this hell with Zoe and Renekton.

They kept riding for hours. When the night was the darkest, they decided to stop to sleep a few hours. Orome took the first round of watch, letting his partner sleep first. He felt cold and alone. He held his pendant in his hand. It reminded him of happy times. He was willing to fight to have them back. He closed his eyes and whispered: _Hold on, Dirk. I’m coming._ To carry on the watch, he tried to focus on the letters they wrote, and the future letters they could write. And soon, it was his turn to sleep. Humanoid thanked him for the first round.

The hours passed. Humanoid saw something black move nearby. He thought it might be an animal. He thought about preparing stocks of food for the rest of the journey. He silently took his bow and arrows. He lifted them. Waited for the right moment. And shot. But the arrow went through a steamy body, which lighted up in a recognizable greenish color. Humanoid’s heart skipped a beat.

Andrei was having a nightmare. He was witnessing Dirk getting trapped in a lantern. But suddenly, the dream shifted. It was only Orome and a ghost, facing each other in a fully black area. Orome couldn’t move, couldn’t scream. The ghost was getting closer, lifting his hands, preparing for magic. The Demacian could feel the cold overwhelm him more and more.

He opened his eyes. It was not entirely a dream. The ghost was turning him into smoke. He screamed, both out of fear and out of strength to intimidate the ghost. That’s when he got hit by a ray of magic, which immediately gave back the consistency of his body. Humanoid had casted a shield on him. But Orome suddenly got scared of his magic too. He grabbed his sword and tried to pierce the shield, but he bounced and fell on the floor. The horses were screaming behind them too. Humanoid released the shield to cast an offensive spell against the ghost. It hit. The ghost was visibly affected. He wasn’t beaten, but he chose to vanish.  
The two knights stayed there, panting.  
“Thank you. Let’s go.” Orome managed to say.

They rode without a stop until Stonewall. They were hungry, tired, emotionally exhausted. But arriving at their first goal gave them some energy back. They carefully hid their knight clothing under their capes. They were relieved to see Stonewall’s port had not been attacked by the Black Mist.   
They went backwards, joining Zoe and Renekton at the entrance of the city. They had to go separate ways from now on. They took the reins and saddles off them. Each knight took time to say goodbye to his horse, patting and hugging him or her. Finally, they both clapped in their hands, telling the horses they could go freely. They watched them run away.   
Then, they wandered on the port, looking for anyone who would go in the same direction as them. They saw a small boat with a Piltover and Zaun flag. A merchant was lifting boxes from the port to the boat.  
“May we help you, madam?” asked Andrei.  
“Ah yes, thank you.” she replied.  
When they were done, the knights asked her if they could go with her.  
“We will pay you, of course.” said Marek.  
She was hesitant. She had noticed their clothing and weapons. She guessed they were deserters and she didn’t want trouble. But she saw the hurt and tiredness written on their faces. She was from the city of Zaun, known for its unorthodox inventors, its black market and knowledge of the dark arts. The merchant considered herself a misfit. She could only offer a helping hand to people like her.


	7. Zaun

The boat stopped in Zaun’s port area. Orome and Humanoid thanked the merchant, before telling goodbye and heading into the city. Walking between the high buildings, the metallic and colorful streets, they witnessed a liveliness they hadn’t seen in weeks. No atmosphere of war, no atmosphere of maleficent magic, no feeling of emptiness. People were not filled with joy either, but it felt normal. In Zaun, people had kept living a regular life. 

Following the merchant’s advice, the knights headed to Zaun’s library. Since the city was known for its knowledge of dark arts, Humanoid and Orome had hopes to find helpful information about the Shadow Isles. Here, no one cared that they were knights from Demacia and Noxus, so they had no problem asking their way. 

The library was a tall building in a bronze color, with large windows. The knights walked in. It took them a while to understand how the shelves were sorted, and where they could find what they were looking for. They started with a book placed in the geography section, called “Shadow Isles”. They sat at a table and scrolled through the pages, discovering the tragic history of the islands. This place was once peaceful and filled with creative minds. Then, the Black Mist fell upon it. The book was giving a brief description of the Black Mist, but the knights had to learn more about it. They wandered in the library, searching for other books. They split in the rows of shelves, and when they joined again at their table, they both had three or four books in their arms. They turned pages and pages, learning more about Shadow Isles’ black magic, obtained with powerful relics. Orome found a name: Thresh. He was not exactly described as the king of Shadow Isles, but at least as the Black Mist Master. Discussing it with Humanoid, the knights concluded they’d have to fight him in order to free the two souls dear for them. Marek showed Andrei some illustrations in the books he picked up. The Demacian looked at the sketches worrily. It reminded him of the ghosts they faced in the past days, and of… something else. He didn’t find what straight away, but after a few illustrations, it came back to him. He grabbed his backpack, diving his hand inside it. He pulled a little black object from it. Humanoid raised an eyebrow.  
“What’s this?” he asked.   
“I don’t know, but it was in Dirk’s room after he disappeared.” Andrei paused. The memory of it was still painful. “I kept it because I thought it belonged to Dirk.” he blushed, embarrassed at the way it came out. “Um, you know, because he was sculpting things. Anyway, looking at the illustrations now, it makes me think of a ghost claw. What do you think?”  
Humanoid stared at the object and the pictures, back and forth.   
“You might be right. Is it dangerous to keep it? Do you think it might be the reason why the ghost attacked you the other night?”  
“I can’t say for sure. Look, since we decided to stick to this mad plan, I think we should keep it. It could take us closer to our goal. You know, if we can’t find our enemies, maybe they’ll find us because of this.”  
Humanoid nodded, still not believing he actually joined this crazily dangerous journey.   
“We are going to kick this Thresh’s ass.” he said. 

They left the library and went to the Eastern port, searching for a new boat to take them to Bilgewater. After five failed attempts, a sixth sailor accepted to take them aboard the next morning, for a big sum of money. 

Walking away, the two knights talked about it.  
“We’re getting short of money. But Bilgewater is our last destination before reaching Shadow Isles. It should be alright.”  
They compared several taverns and chose the cheapest one. They were feeling safe in this town of misfits. They enjoyed a peaceful night close to the fireplace, with music, food and beverages. They chatted more than usual. On the road, they didn’t talk a lot, both because they couldn’t find a conversation subject, and because they were just trying to make it through. But the journey made them feel closer. 

That night, Orome told Humanoid about his sweet memories with ZaZee, including stupid arguments which made the two knights laugh. The Demacian couldn’t stop speaking, and while he was telling stories about his missing loved one, his eyes were only showing joy.  
“You know, when war was declared, Dirk was feeling so sad and lonely because he missed you, that he kept hanging out with me and talking about you. Even in the middle of the night, when he couldn’t sleep, he knocked at my door and kept telling me about you. It was so annoying.” laughed Marek, a bit nostalgic.   
A wide smile formed on Orome’s lips.   
“I’m glad to know that.”  
They kept chatting, and after another laugh, Marek suddenly turned serious.   
“I never told you why I came with you, exactly.” he said, gazing at his glass.   
Andrei looked at him with curiosity.   
“I don’t know if you remember him from the shared training sessions, but I had someone as important for me in Trevale. His knight name is Nemesis.”  
“I see.” simply replied the Demacian, with a smile. “He’s also friends with ZaZee, right?”  
“Right.” confirmed Marek.  
Confessing his love for Nemesis made him feel lighter. He was glad Andrei remembered him, and Andrei was glad Marek told him, showing how much he trusted him.   
“So we have two awesome Noxians to save. I believe we can do it, my friend.”


	8. Bilgewater

On the way to Bilgewater, the weather was not the smoothest, but it didn’t keep the boat from reaching the right destination. Orome and Humanoid had their hearts filled with hope and apprehension about their final destination. But they felt pretty confident about their stay in Bilgewater. Pirates were probably similar to Zaun’s misfits, weren’t they?

The knights greeted the sailors, before walking on the port’s, under the rain. They arrived during the day, but the thick clouds above them made the city look dark, almost as if it was the night. Getting used to looking for boats, the two friends decided to ask straight away for a new crew which could lead them to Shadow Isles. The first man they approached was a tall pirate, with broad shoulders and a brownish beard. He was seated on the edge of the port, legs above the water, a bottle in his hand.   
“Good afternoon, sir.” started Orome. “We’re looking for a boat which could lead us to Shadow Isles.”  
The pirate gave them a judgemental look.   
“Shadow Isles? What, you think there’s some kind of daily commercial trade between here and there?” He shook his head. “Damn, I can’t tell when was the last time people went to Shadow Isles on purpose.”  
The knights exchanged a look. It sure wouldn’t be as easy to find someone willing to take them there. The pirate didn’t seem to want more talk with them, so they walked to the next boat. A woman with long, red, curly hair was lifting wooden boxes on the port.   
“Good afternoon, m’am. We’re looking for a boat which could lead us to Shadow Isles.”  
The woman stopped what she was doing and put a fist on her hip, frowning.   
“Hello gentlemen. I never heard anyone ask this as if it was something insignificant.”  
She stared at them, considering their clothing.   
“In Bilgewater, people are always willing to deal if there’s enough money to earn. What do you want? A crew or just the boat?”  
“Anything that would allow us to do the way in and out.”  
The woman laughed.  
“The way out. You are funny guys. You’ll be lucky if you make it to Shadow Isles in the first place.”  
She continued:  
“I’m ready to give you a boat and a crew. The crew won’t go with you on the islands, I want to get my boat back.”  
The two knights nodded, ignoring her pessimistic comments.   
“What’s the price?” Humanoid asked.   
“100 000 pieces of gold.”  
The knights froze. They pulled their bags, showing all the money they had left with honesty. It was much lower than 100 000 pieces. The pirate pointed at their swords and outfits.   
“You seem to have pretty expansive armor and weapons. Let’s make it 50 000 and you give me your armor and weapons.”  
“That’s not possible.” Humanoid replied immediately. They had a fight waiting for them.   
The pirate didn’t appreciate it.   
“You think people are willing to sail near a kraken to a ghost island just for 3 pieces of gold?” she asked.   
“We’re willing to trade but we don’t have much to offer. We can work for you instead.” suggested Orome.   
“Hm that’s an idea.” replied the woman, thinking about her options. “Would you rob someone from me?”  
The Demacian clenched his fists. He didn’t like where this conversation was going. He let Humanoid continue the negotiation.   
“A rob, our gold pieces, and you give us a boat and a crew?”  
The pirate nodded with a smirk.   
Marek glanced at his friend, silently asking his opinion. Andrei was obviously reluctant but they had not much choice. It was probably the best offer they could get in a pirates’ place.   
“Deal.” said Humanoid. “Who, where, and what do we have to rob?”

_Oskar Boderek, center of Bilgewater, diamond magic relic._

Night had fallen. The two knights had climbed on the roofs of the city and were walking from one house to another. They were soaking because of the rain, but they both had warrior training on how to approach the enemy silently. They reached their destination and spied on the house by its highest window. They saw a bedroom, lit by candles. Two men were inside, one with short brown hair, the other with blonde, longer hair. They seemed to have a serious conversation. According to the pirate, Oskar Boderek was the one with brown hair. Orome couldn’t help but think he looked respectable. Inside the house, Oskar and the blonde man started to raise their voices, arguing. The two knights were embarrassed to spy on a private situation. But they had to keep their eyes on the window, searching for any detail which would reveal where the diamond was. _For ZaZee. For Nemesis._  
“For goodness’ sake, Jesper!” exclaimed Oskar.   
He stared at the blonde man in disbelief. Silence overwhelmed the room. The knights didn’t understand what happened, but seconds later, the two men inside the house were kissing passionately. Orome and Humanoid looked away and walked back on the roof. They sat there, barely paying attention to the rain anymore.   
“So… we can’t, can we?” asked the Noxian.   
They both wished they could kiss their boyfriend like that. They didn’t want to take anything away from this man, especially for a mischievous pirate. They stayed there for a while, thinking about what they could do instead. Orome sighed.   
“Let’s try again. We have no other option.” he said.   
“Wait. I can’t guarantee anything but I saw a bunch of magic tricks in Zaun’s books. I can try to duplicate the diamond.”  
The two friends stared into each other’s eyes.   
“That sounds risky, but maybe less risky than the robbing. What do you need?”  
“I need a stone and I need to know what the diamond looks like.”  
“Hm. We can try to keep watching at the window.”  
So they did, but despite their active spying, Oskar never showed the diamond. The sun was rising, the rain was fading. Humanoid suggested casting the spell by just imagining what the diamond looked like. Hopefully, the pirate didn’t know what it looked like either. 

They met with Sarah Fortune in front of her own boat. She invited them inside and examined the fake diamond. The knights felt like an eternity passed by, before she finally smirked.   
“Very well, boys. The boat is yours for as long as you can survive.”  
She walked towards the boat’s wheel and placed the diamond-stone in a deep behind it.   
“It will protect you from the kraken.” she said.   
A shiver ran down the spine of the knights. If they had known this, they would have acted quite differently.


	9. Shadow Isles

The rain was raging again, the sea was restless. Humanoid and Orome were grateful about having a crew with them, since sailing was not their strongest point. The Demacian was trying to think positive, despite feeling like he might turn into a mermaid soon. The two friends were helping the crew, pulling ropes clumsily.

“Hey, Marek!” started Andrei, before another wave crashed on his face.   
“Yeah?” asked the Noxian, screaming above the sound of the wind and the sea.   
“I wanted to tell you,” screamed the Demacian as well, “I’m grateful you came with me on this journey! I would have not made it this far without you!”  
“You what?!”  
“I would have not made it without you!”  
“Made what?!”  
Andrei sighed heavily.  
“JUST THANK YOU!”  
“Are you being ironic or what?!”  
“No no, it’s–”

They were interrupted as a new sound came on top of the roar of the sea and the wind. Another terrifying roar unlike anything they ever heard. Orome and Humanoid glanced at the sailors. It seemed like all of them were petrified. Orome got closer to one of them.   
“What’s going on?!” he asked.   
The pirate swallowed before answering.  
“It can only be one thing.”  
“The fucking kraken!” added another pirate. “You fucking lied to us! You said we’d be fucking protected by the fucking stone!”

It couldn’t show in the dim light, but the Demacian suddenly turned very pale. He rushed to his friend and explained the situation. But before they could discuss anything further, the kraken erupted from the sea near them, making the boat tilt dangerously. Humanoid got so scared that he unleashed the strongest magic shield he had ever been able to cast. Time slowed down. The glow of his orange shield lighted up the scene, which was all dark and green otherwise. The glow reflected in the black pupils of the kraken. The tentacles and the waves crashed on the magic wall in vain. All men on the boat stopped breathing. A moment later, everything fell back. The kraken had disappeared, as well as the rain and the waves. Humanoid fell on his knees but Orome leaned fast to support him. They caught their breath, looking at each other, astonished. The Demacian hugged him.   
“As I was saying, I would have not made it this far without you. Thank you.”

The rest of the journey went better. The pirates were following every Humanoid’s word and command. And finally, the infamous green smoke and black islands appeared on the horizon. 

One sailor placed a hand on Humanoid’s shoulder.  
"We’ll drop you here in the small boat. Since we owe you and since we can’t face the kraken alone, we’ll wait for you for 12 hours. Beyond that, you’ll have to take care of yourselves."  
"Understood." replied the Noxian.  
The big boat stopped and the knights were pulled down, on board of the small boat. Before they landed on the water, they exchanged a long, meaningful look, silently wishing to each other _May we succeed._  
Then, Orome started to row. When they entered the green smoke, Humanoid casted a small shield on them, as a precaution. A familiar but unpleasant feeling welcomed them. It was the same feeling of presence they had, back in Trevale’s forest. They reached the main island. As they were stepping on the land, Humanoid kept the shield. They glanced around them. They could see nothing but ruins, so the Noxian stopped his magic, putting his hand on his sword instead. They started to walk cautiously. They joined the center of the island and still met no soul. They kept walking. On and on. Hours were passing and they felt stucked. The island was playing tricks on them, they lost their sense of direction and time.  
"We can’t keep going like this," said Orome, anger in his voice. "Remember what I told you? If we can’t find them, they’ll find us."  
He pulled the black claw from his bag and jabbed it in the island’s ground. It created a little crack, a growl resonated, the island shook and the knights didn’t wait any longer. A black smoke with green traces formed in front of them, which turned into the Black Mist Master. Thresh. The ghost had a large grin on his face but he seemed quite upset.  
"It’s always very amusing to meet mortals who think they’re the firsts to try." he said. "What can I do for you, gentlemen?"  
"We came to bring justice to two knights."  
"Two? Well, you’re as ambitious as the last one."  
Thresh threw his hook at them, but thankfully, Humanoid still had amazing reflex and casted a shield. The fight started, but the knights soon understood their chances were very thin. Whenever they reached the ghost, their blades were just passing through him without any effect. Humanoid was trying to cast spells, but Thresh was too fast, he had no trouble to dodge them. Humanoid casted another one but it reached Orome instead. The Demacian grunted and fell on the floor.  
"Andrei!" screamed Marek.  
Orome took a moment to stand but he waved at his friend, showing him he was alright. But when he turned to his enemy, he was surrounded by walls of magic. He was caged, left alone with the ghost, who hit him with his hook. The Demacian fell on the floor. He couldn’t move properly, the spell was altering his movements, and the knight was trying his best to repress his fear of magic. As his cheek was still on the floor and his vision blurry, he saw a dark green piece near him. It looked similar to the black claw he found in ZaZee’s room. He managed to throw his hand to reach it and seize it. A second later, Thresh was near him, ready to hit again. Orome gathered his strength and threw the green piece right on Thresh’s lantern. He had, in fact, thrown a piece of Thresh’s hook. The effect went beyond his expectations. The lantern’s windows broke, freeing a massive white smoke, which started to circle in the air. They could hear millions of muffled voices. The magic cage disappeared, which freed Orome as well. He stood up, running towards Humanoid, while looking at the smoke above them.  
"Dirk!" he called.  
"Tim!" called Humanoid.  
Thresh stood up, more angry than ever. He ran at them while they kept their eyes on the smoke. The knights didn’t anticipate this new attack and got hit pretty bad. They were on the floor, in the most vulnerable situation. Andrei didn’t even know where is sword was. He wanted to search for it but he was sure Thresh would hit him the moment he would look away from the ghost. Marek casted a spell but it’s light showed how weakened the knight was. Their only hope was the Noxian’s magic and it was fading away. Thresh was not in a rush anymore. A satisfied grin was back on his face. He stepped closer to the knights, wondering how he could play with them more.   
But two shapes formed between the ghost and the knights, casting a powerful magic shield. ZaZee and Nemesis were here. Their hands were glowing in a mix of blue and pink gleam. The magic wall made Thresh fall. The four knights stood up, side by side. Nemesis and ZaZee looked weakened but they were fighting for their survival for days, they could only go on. United, the three Noxians and the Demacian successfully defeated the ghost. He accepted to let them go. They ran away as fast as they could. They reached the edge of the island, hopped into the small boat before Thresh could change his mind.  
When the pirates saw them come back, they cheered loudly. They pulled them onto the big boat. The sails were deployed, and finally, the knights could celebrate their reunion. They were pale, wounded, they had greasy hair and dark bags under their eyes, but somehow, they were glowing. Tim and Marek stared at each other and tears formed in their eyes. They fell into each other’s arms, Marek placing a hand Tim’s hair.  
"I missed you so much." he whispered, and Nemesis nodded silently on his shoulder, exhausted.  
Near them, Andrei took Dirk’s hands in his. What was a habit a few weeks ago now felt like a dream. He gazed at ZaZee’s beautiful eyes through his broken glasses. The Noxian smiled at him warmly, lovingly. They melted into a tight embrace.  
"You saved me."


	10. Ixtal

Andrei woke up to the sounds of birds. Glancing at the windows, the bright light in the corners of the curtains told him the sun probably rose hours ago. Dirk was peacefully sleeping in his arms. Andrei leaned to leave a tender kiss on his forehead. 

They hadn’t come back to Demacia and Noxus. They went looking for a new home straight away. Nemesis and Humanoid thought about doing the same: they wanted to go back to Noxus but they were afraid Humanoid would have to pay for leaving his military duties. But Noxus was their home. They decided to try to go back, thinking that maybe saving a soul from Shadow Isles would be a great sign of strength, which Noxians valued the most. The four friends said goodbye when they were in Zaun. Nemesis and Humanoid headed North-West, while ZaZee and Orome went to the South. As soon as he could, the former Demacian wrote a long letter to Shad0w, telling him he was still alive, that he found ZaZee back, and giving details on his journey. 

Dirk and Andrei passed by several cities. Eventually, they found Ixtal and they decided to settle there. The wheather was much warmer than the one they were used to, but it was not an unpleasant change. They still had uncertainties about their future. They knew life would give them other battles to face. 

Dirk moved slightly in Andrei’s arms. He lifted his head towards his boyfriend with sleepy eyes. 

Each time Andrei was looking into these eyes, he could only think about the joys of their love in the past, present and future.


End file.
